TheCatholicChurchandPersonalParishof OurLadyofWalsinghamwithSaintCuthbertMayne FOURTHSUNDAYAFTERTHEEPIPHANY
DWSMReadingsandPropersp.156
INTROITHYMN
Come,letusjoinourcheerfulsongs Withangelsroundthethrone; Tenthousandthousandaretheirtongues, Butalltheirjoysareone.
'WorthytheLambthatdied,'theycry, 'Tobeexaltedthus;'
'WorthytheLamb,'ourlipsreply, 'ForHewasslainforus.'
RESPONSORIALPSALM
Howhappyarethepoorinspirit; theirsisthekingdomofheaven.
OFFERTORYHYMN
Alleluia,singtoJesus, Histhesceptre,histhethrone; Alleluia,histhetriumph, Histhevictoryalone: HarkthesongsofpeacefulSion Thunderlikeamightyflood; Jesusoutofeverynation, Hathredeemedusbyhisblood.
Alleluia,notasorphans Areweleftinsorrownow; Alleluia,heisnearus, Faithbelieves,norquestionshow; Thoughthecloudfromsightreceivedhim Whenthefortydayswereo'er, Shallourheartsforgethispromise, 'Iamwithyouevermore'?
Jesusisworthytoreceive Honourandpow'rdivine; Andblessingsmorethanwecangive Be,Lord,foreverthine.
Letallcreationjoininone Toblessthesacredname Ofhimthatsitsuponthethrone, AndtoadoretheLamb.
Alleluia,BreadofAngels, Thouonearthourfood,ourstay; Alleluia,herethesinful Fleetotheefromdaytoday; Intercessor,Friendofsinners, Earth'sRedeemer,pleadforme, Wherethesongsofallthesinless Sweepacrossthecrystalsea.
Alleluia,Kingeternal, TheetheLordoflordsweown; Alleluia,bornofMary, Earththyfootstool,heaventhythrone: Thouwithintheveilhastentered, Robedinflesh,ourgreatHighPriest; ThouonearthbothPriestandVictim IntheEucharisticFeast.
COMMUNIONHYMN
OWORSHIPtheKingallgloriousabove; OgratefullysingHispowerandhislove: OurShieldandDefender,theAncientofdays, Pavilionedinsplendour,andgirdedwithpraise.
Otellofhismight,Osingofhisgrace, Whoserobeisthelight,whosecanopyspace. Hischariotsofwraththedeepthunder-cloudsform, Anddarkishispathonthewingsofthestorm.
Thisearth,withitsstoreofwondersuntold, Almighty,thypowerhathfoundedofold: Hathstablisheditfastbyachangelessdecree, Androundithathcast,likeamantle,thesea.
OmeasurelessMight,ineffableLove, Whileangelsdelighttohymntheeabove, Thyhumblercreation,thoughfeebletheirlays, Withtrueadorationshallsingtothypraise.
PRAYEROFSTMICHAEL
HolyMichael,Archangel,defendusinthedayofbattle. Bethouourdefenceagainstthewickedness andsnaresoftheDevil. MayGodrebukehim,wehumblypray, anddothou,OPrinceoftheheavenlyhosts, bythepowerofGod, thrustdowntohellSatan,andallwickedspirits, whowanderthroughtheworldfortheruinofsouls.Amen.
THEANGELUS
TheangeloftheLordbroughttidingstoMary AndsheconceivedbytheHolyGhost. HailMary...
BeholdthehandmaidoftheLord. beituntomeaccordingtothyword. HailMary...
TheWordwasmadeflesh. Anddweltamongstus. HailMary...
Prayforus,OHolyMotherofGod.
ThatwemaybemadeworthyofthepromisesofChrist.
Letuspray.
WebeseechtheeOLord,pourthygraceintoourhearts:that,aswehave knowntheIncarnationofthySonJesusChristbythemessageofanAngel, sobyhisCrossandPassionwemaybebroughttothegloryofhis resurrection,throughthesameChristourLord. Amen.
REFLECTIONONTODAY’SGOSPEL
TheGospelpresentsthefirstgreatdiscoursethattheLordaddresses tothepeopleonthegentlehillsencirclingtheSeaofGalilee.“Seeing thecrowds,”StMatthewwrites,“hewentuponthemountain,andwhen hesatdownhisdisciplescametohim.Andheopenedhismouthand taughtthem”(Mt5:1-2).
Jesus,thenewMoses,“takeshisseatonthecathedraofthemountain” (JesusofNazareth,Doubleday,NewYork2007,p.65)andproclaims “blessed”thepoorinspirit,thosewhomourn,themerciful,thosewho hungerforrighteousness,thepureinheart,thepersecuted(cf.Mt5:310).Itisnotanewideology,butateachingthatcomesfromonhigh andtouchesthehumancondition,theconditionthattheLord,in becomingflesh,wishedtoassumeinordertosaveit.
Therefore“theSermonontheMountisaddressedtotheentireworld, theentirepresentandfuture,andyetitdemandsdiscipleshipandcan beunderstoodandlivedoutonlybyfollowingJesusandaccompanying himonhisjourney”(JesusofNazareth,p.69).
TheBeatitudesareanewprogrammeoflife,tofreeoneselffromthe falsevaluesoftheworldandtoopenoneselftothetruegoods,present andfuture.Indeed,whenGodcomforts,hesatisfiesthehungerfor righteousness,hewipesawaythetearsofthosewhomourn,which meansthat,aswellascompensatingeachoneinapracticalway,he openstheKingdomofHeaven.“TheBeatitudesarethetranspositionof theCrossandResurrectionintodiscipleship”(ibid.,p.74).Theymirror thelifeoftheSonofGodwholethimselfevenbepersecutedand despiseduntilhewascondemnedtodeathsothatsalvationmightbe giventomenandwomen.
Anancienthermitsays:“TheBeatitudesaregiftsofGodandwemust sayagreat‘thankyou’tohimforthemandfortherewardsthatderive fromthem,namelytheKingdomofGodinthecenturytocomeand consolationhere;thefullnessofeverygoodandmercyonGod’spart …oncewehavebecomeimagesofChristonearth”(Peterof Damascus,InFilocalia,Vol.3,Turin1985,p.79).
TheGospeloftheBeatitudesiscommentedonwiththeactualhistory oftheChurch,thehistoryofChristianholiness,because,asStPaul writes,“Godchosewhatisweakintheworldtoshamethestrong, Godchosewhatislowanddespisedintheworld,eventhingsthat arenot,tobringtonothingthingsthatare”(1Cor1:27-28).
ForthisreasontheChurchhasnofearofpoverty,contemptor persecutioninasocietywhichisoftenattractedbymaterialwell-being andworldlypower.StAugustineremindsusthat“itservesnothingto suffertheseevils,butrathertobearthemintheNameofJesus,not onlywithaserenesoulbutalsowithjoy”(cf.DesermoneDominiin monte,i,5,13:ccl35,13).
Dearbrothersandsisters,letusinvoketheVirginMary,theBlessed parexcellence,askingherforthestrengthtoseektheLord(cf.Zeph 2:3)andtofollowhimalways,withjoy,onthepathoftheBeatitudes.